


Second Chances and Family Business

by OwlGirl



Series: Finding a family [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-03-04 18:06:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13370241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OwlGirl/pseuds/OwlGirl
Summary: After Bucky left Alexander Pierce's evil gang of bandits and went back to Silvertown, life is good for him. He has his family and his childhood best friend. His relationship with Emily is slowly building up to something more.One day Emily receives a letter from her mother and starts acting strange. She tells Bucky that her father died and she has to go to London for the funeral and inheriting her father's lawyer company. Emily asks Bucky to follow her on the trip, Peggy and Steve also go with them. Bucky realises why Emily didn't tell much about her family. Her father was one of the richest men in London. Things get suspicious around the company and Emily's brother when some old friends show up. Bucky's sure in one thing, he has to help his girlfriend solve the mystery.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place after New Sheriff in Town. If you'd like to know more about the characters and the background I suggest you to read it first. However you can also read it as a standalone.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy it as much as the previous story. :)

Bucky always liked carpentry. As a kid he was mesmerized by the furniture and wooden toys his father made. At the age of six he decided that he would work as a carpenter when he grew up.

Now Bucky and his father were in the carpenter workshop, his father teaching him the profession. He's been teaching him for two weeks now and Bucky seemed to learn fast. He was talented at crafts. He used the tools easily and had good design ideas for furniture. Jim Barnes was sure his son'd be a skillful carpenter.

Bucky finished the job and left the workshop. He was on his way to meet Emily. She worked in the Town hall and after her working hours were over she went to the park next to the Town hall to wait for Bucky.

Bucky found Emily sitting on a bench in front of the fountain. He went to her and quickly sat next to her.

"Hi darling! How was your day?" Asking her he held the woman's hands in his. It was a thing they did more and more frequently.

"It was fine, but I've been waiting to meet you all day." She leaned closer to Bucky and kissed his cheek. "Did you know that Mr. Stark has a funny personality? Today I learned that he has a dog named Dummy who always chews on his expensive shoes. He complains a lot about the mutt." They both laughed. 

"Poor shoes. Maybe if he put them away from the dog they wouldn't be in danger." Bucky suggested still chuckling.

"I'll tell him tomorrow. Perhaps I get pay raise for good ideas. Not that I have to complain about not getting enough salary." Emily smiled at Bucky. The man seemed a little worried. She noticed that.

"Is something wrong?" Emily asked. She wanted to know what Bucky was thinking about.

"No, I'm fine." He quickly answered, but Emily knew it wasn't true so she looked into his eyes and asked him again.

"Are you sure? Because you seem lost in your thoughts."

"Well, one thing bothers me. My sister spends too much time with that weird Indian guy, Clint. I think he has bad influence on Nat." Bucky said. That has been disturbing him since the first time he saw his little sister and Clint together, but he didn't mention it to anyone.

"Clint's an interesting person, but I think he's a good guy and you should give him a chance to get to know him more." Emily stated her opinion.

Bucky wondered how she always knew the right thing to say. She was smart and confident in telling her thoughts. That helped in his own confidence. 

"Thanks! I'll try to do that." He said. He knew it would be hard, but if Emily thought it'd work he had to give it a chance. "By the way Steve and Peggy invited us for dinner."

"That's so kind of them and Peggy cooks delicious. I have to ask her for the recipe of the apple pie she made last time." Emily stated. She wasn't very good at baking, but in her free time she made cookies and pancakes sometimes. Bucky liked them so much.

They walked out of the park holding hands. On the way to Steve's house they talked about the paintings Steve made and hung on the walls. Emily was into art and they could talk about painters and artists for hours with Steve.

 

"Hello!" Steve opened the door and let them in.

"Hi!" Bucky and Emily greeted him. Peggy was in the kitchen preparing the dinner set.

The house was neat and cozy as always. There were some new pillows on the couch. Peggy really liked sewing Bucky thought.

"Come into the kitchen." They heard Peggy. They did and sat to the dining table. Salad and drinks were already on the colorful tablecloth and a bouquet of flowers in the middle.

"I made roast chicken with fresh vegetables. I hope you'll like it. It's an old family recipe I learned from my mother." She said with a wide smile on her face. 

"Of course. We like everything you cook." Emily answered. "And these flowers are beautiful. What is the species of them?"

Steve also came to the kitchen and sat down to his usual seat. "They are some sort of daisies. I planted some seeds a year ago or so and completely forgot about them. Now they grow in the back of the garden." He said.

Bucky chuckled. "I didn't know you liked gardening, do you have any other secrets I don't know about?" He teased his friend.

"I collect the teeth of dead horses and make necklaces from them." Steve joined the game.

"If you did that I'd throw them into the rubbish while you weren't at home, honey." Peggy responded to her husband's joke. They all laughed.

"Okay, it was a lie." Steve admitted. "Talking about hobbies, how is your new job, Bucky?"

"My father tells me that I'm good at carpentry and I like it. Maybe someday I'll have my own workshop." He said happily.

They talked about many things during dinner and all of them felt good. Peggy shared some recipes with Emily, who wrote them all in a small notebook.

After finishing dinner Bucky and Emily said goodbye to Peggy and Steve. Bucky accompanied Emily to her house. The weather started to be chillier every night so Bucky lent the woman his jacket. Emily gladly took it and put it on her own coat. She looked tiny in the dark grey jacket.

Emily invited him to her house and they spent the night together.


	2. Chapter 2

It was 9 o'clock in the morning when Bucky was woken up by quiet thudding sounds. He lay in his bed for a few more minutes trying to figure out what or who made the noise.

He ran out of ideas and sat up. His bed was next to a window that had view to the back garden. Looking out he nearly fell off his bed.

His sister and that weird Indian guy, Clint were in the garden, shooting arrows. It wasn't a huge problem itself, but something else was far worse. Clint was standing close behind Nat, only a few inches between them. He was holding Nat's left elbow with his hand, keeping it in place for shooting. His other hand was on her right shoulder.

More than a dozen arrows were in a tightly tied hay bale. A target was painted on the bale with ugly purple paint. Nat shot one more arrow straight to the middle. Seeing his sister's achievement, Bucky almost forgot he was angry with Clint.

He watched as Nat put the bow on the ground and they went to collect the arrows with Clint together. Suddenly Clint leaned closer to Nat and kissed her.

Bucky couldn't believe it, he quickly stood up, ran down the stairs and paced to the garden. Nat and Clint jumped back with shocked expression on their faces.

"How dare you do that!" He shouted furiously. He walked close to Clint, not sure if he wanted to punch him or something. "Don't you ever touch her again!" He sounded threatening, his steel blue eyes glaring sharp into Clint's eyes.

"I'm sorry man..." Clint said and took a few steps back in fright, trying to get as far from Bucky as possible. Unfortunately a table was behind him, so he couldn't go far.

Clint prepared for the worst when suddenly Nat stepped between them, blocking Bucky's death glare. "Bucky! I'm not a baby anyone! I can protect myself. Can't you just leave us alone?" She retorted annoyed by her brother's overprotectiveness.

Bucky calmed himself a bit, now looking more sad than angry. It was strange for Clint how fast Bucky's emotions changed.

He ran back to the house as fast as he could, and shut the door behind him. He couldn't believe his sister wasn't on his side. She was defending stupid Clint! It really hurt him, he never felt like that before.

He went back to his room and put on his shoes and dark grey coat. Maybe if he met Steve he could make him less sad or give him advice on how to make things better with Natasha. Steve grew up with her, so he knew her more than his actual brother.

Bucky left the house before Nat could find him, not that she really attempted to. He was thinking about the conflict the whole time on his way to Steve's house.

 

"Hi!" Steve opened the door, but when he saw his friend's distressed expression he immediately changed his blissful tone. "You look really down in the dumps. What happened?" He looked into Bucky's eyes with the same warm smile he did when he'd found out he was alive. That encouraging smile always helped Bucky feel better. Sometimes he wondered if Steve's special ability to comfort people counted as a superpower, it probably did.

"I messed up." He stated, looking at the doormat he was standing on. It was colorful and had "Welcome" written on it. He smiled because Steve always happily welcomed him. "Can we talk about it inside?" He asked. Steve nodded.

Peggy wasn't at home, she was at her brother's house looking after her niece.

Steve walked up the stairs to his study room, Bucky following him. "So?" The blond asked sitting down on the couch. The room was filled with semi finished paintings and sketches. There were some new white canvases in the corner of the room. Bucky looked at them before telling Steve his problems.

"I had an argument with Nat and I don't know what to do. What if she'll never forgive me?" Bucky admitted, regret in his voice.

"I'm sorry. It must be hard for you. Can you tell me why you started the argument?" Steve asked. Bucky knew he really cared about him and also Nat. He tried to help, but first Bucky had to tell him his silly overprotectiveness. He was ashamed of what he's done.

"The truth is that I don't like Clint. He seems weird and when I saw him kissing my sister this morning I freaked out. I ran to the back garden where they were and asked him not to do it again." He said, glancing at the painting behind Steve's head.

"Really?" Steve raised his eyebrows.

"Fine. I yelled at him and wanted to punch him in the face. At that part Nat stepped in front of me to protect that stupid Indian."

"Of course she protects him, because she loves him. Or you wouldn't protect Emily?" Steve asked.

He was right, Bucky had to admit, he'd do anything to protect Emily.

"You have a point. It just hard for me to accept them being together. I don't know why."

"They have been dating for more than one year. Before that they were good friends and spent much time together. Clint's a good guy." Steve said, trying to comfort him.

"If you say so, it must be true. I know you care for Nat and you'd never let anyone hurt her." Bucky stated, smiling. 

Steve glanced at the white canvases and he had an idea. "When I'm nervous or a little worried about something, I paint. It helps me calm down and express my feelings."

Bucky gave him a surprised look. "Don't think it's stupid. It actually works. Trust me." The blond reacted defending his idea.

 

They walked to the canvases and Steve chose a smaller one for his friend. He also gave him painting tools. Steve continued one of his already started artworks. The one, that portrayed Peggy with a flower crown in her hair.

They both painted silently, concentrating on what they were creating. It really worked because Bucky felt calmer. He actually liked painting, even if his artwork wasn't the best. He liked as the colors blended with each, creating new different shades.

After half an hour Steve walked behind him to see what he's been working on. It didn't bother him, he was proud of his fist painting.

"I like it, that's an interesting dog." Steve said, leaning towards the canvas to take a closer look.

"Thanks, but it's my horse, Old Warrior Eben. Not a dog." Bucky declared, pretending to take it an offense.

"Sorry Buck! It's not bad as a horse, either." Steve said, saving the situation. He knew Bucky wasn't offended.

Bucky was glad Steve introduced him painting. Maybe he'll do it as a hobby.


	3. Chapter 3

Writing accounts wasn't as boring as most people thought, Emily found it quite interesting. She had special talent at maths since first grade and even after high school, she was still good at calculating long digits of numbers. Working in the Town hall was her favorite, she liked the enormous and well-decorated building. When she looked outside from her office window, she could see the fountain surrounded by bushes of colorful flowers.

After a few months she already liked Silvertown more than where she grew up. She didn't miss London at all. It reminded her of her father's high expectations. Choosing to work as a lawyer and taking part in the family's company.

Emily never wanted to be a lawyer, but Robert Swans insisted on having his daughter the best education given. He wasn't happy when she told him, that she'd like to work as an accountant. Although it wasn't so far from the law. That year, she moved to New York, despite being only 18 years old. Her parents thought it was just an act of a rebellious teen, but they let her do what she decided.

Emily's father always seemed to like her older brother more. He wasn't stubborn like Emily, he was the perfect son Robert always wanted to have. He was emotionless and serious, perfect lawyer material. Emily knew that, he'd be the one to follow his father's legacy.

The only thing she missed in London, were her friends, especially Darcy. The last time they hung out was more than one year ago. A few days before Christmas, Darcy traveled to New York to meet her. They went to a Christmas market with a bunch of Emily's university classmates and ice skated in Central Park.

She didn't know moving to New York would separate her from her London friends.

 

"Miss Swans!" Edwin Jarvis suddenly said, waking her from her thoughts.

Emily glanced at the man and noticed that he was holding a letter for her. "This was sent to you from London." He handed her the small white envelope. Emily held it in her hands, reading the informations. She recognised her mother's nice and characteristic handwriting and instantly became a bit nervous.

"Thank you," She managed to say. "Can I take a short break?" Jarvis nodded. She stood up from her table and went for her coat to go outside.

"Is everything all right? You seem worried." Jarvis asked, looking slightly concerned about Emily's sudden change of mood.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just need a little fresh air and I'll feel better." She answered with a shy smile. She walked to the door and put on her coat.

She went to her usual bench and sat down. Many thoughts crossed her mind about what her mother could write in the letter.

Finally, she opened it and started reading.

*  
Dear Daughter, 

I am writing to tell you sad news, your Father passed away on the 28th of November. I'd like you to come home for the funeral and stay with us for Christmas.  
I ask you to lay aside all conflicts with your brother.

I really hope to meet you soon!

Love, Mother  
*

The letter was short, but the information it contained made Emily feel mixed emotions. Part of her wanted to cry.

She sat in silence for minutes before realizing she was crying. Memories of her father came to her mind, the happy and good moments of her childhood, when Robert wasn't as strict as later.

Oddly enough, her negative feelings against her father changed and she regretted being angry with him for so long. She never had a chance to forgive him.

Putting the letter into her pocket, Emily went back to the building and continued her work. Her tears didn't stop falling, so she held a tissue in her hand to wipe them.

Mr. Stark walked into the room, carrying some books. He immediately noticed the woman crying. He put the books on the corner of the table and rushed to her.

"Miss Swans! What happened?" Tony asked her sympathetically. His brown eyes looking into Emily's, slightly red from crying.

"My father died," she said, a quiet sob leaving her mouth. "My mother sent me a letter... and since reading it I can't calm down. It's just so unbelievably sudden."

"I'm so sorry, Emily! Is there anything I can do to help?" Tony offered kindly.

Emily didn't say a word and let her tears fall again. Tony reached into his pocket and gave her another tissue. The one in her hand was too wet.

"Thanks." She whispered.

"You're welcome. You can go home any time, if you don't feel well. Mr. Jarvis can help you finish this tomorrow." He gave her a small smile.

"I think it would be better if I did. I don't want to mess up any of the calculations and also soak the papers with tears." She chuckled. Tony nodded in agreement.

Emily picked up her bag and put on her coat. Tony accompanied her to the exit and they said goodbye to each other.

She didn't plan on meeting Bucky that early, only in the afternoon. They both had work. She was surprised when she saw him sitting on the porch of her house. He looked almost as sad as Emily.

"Hi Darling." He said a bit more cheerfully. Emily walked to him and sat on the steps next to him. Leaning at his side she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm glad you're here. I don't want to be alone." She said still not moving from his side.

"I'm with you, Emily any time you need me." Bucky promised and hugged her, holding her close. They didn't say a word, they could understand each other even without saying anything.

"I have to go to London!" All of a sudden, Emily stated. It sounded like an abrupt idea. Bucky raised his eyebrows in surprise and turned to look into the woman's eyes.

"What?" He asked, looking slightly confused. "Well. After all we should talk it over before you go."

Emily didn't really want to talk about the letter, but Bucky was the person she could tell anything. She trusted him and knew that he'd be on her side in any situation.

"It happened so unexpected, but my father died." She was looking at the ground, kicking small pebbles with her feet.

"I'm very sorry for your loss. You have to know that I'm with you. You're not facing this alone."

Emily felt a drop of tear in the corner of her eye. She leaned back to Bucky's shoulder in order to conceal the presence of it.

"My mother invited me to spend Christmas with her and my brother in London. And of course, the funeral. I'd like you to come with me." She said.

"Of course, will go with you," He answered without hesitation. "I'd have liked to get to know your family anyways someday. I'm sorry, that I won't meet your father."

The time passed as they sat next to each other.


	4. Chapter 4

Peggy and Steve made a tradition of spending Christmas in London at Peggy's family. The first time they traveled to England was four years ago after their engagement. Peggy's parents and brother really liked Steve. The holiday season was merry and cozy.

One day before going, Steve had to make sure Silvertown wasn't in danger. Being Sheriff was a great responsibility even with an assistant.

Sam did his job as enthusiastically as the first day Mr. Stark chose him as deputy Sheriff, although the town was quite peaceful. Fortunately, no one caused trouble or tried to rob the Bank.

When Steve walked into the office, he found Sam organizing the report books. They have been cleaning the room for a few days in order to make it ready for the arrival of diplomats and supervisors. They monitored the office systems and reported problems, it was a yearly routine in every town.

"Great job Sam!" Steve said as he looked over the alphabetically sorted books. He noticed that even the walls were redecorated. The board with photos and pieces of newspapers was put aside and pictures of Silvertown's buildings and sights were in its place. The office looked a bit like a travel agency, but Steve didn't mind it.

"Thanks! I think it's ready, we only have to make coffee tomorrow. I heard it has positive effect on people." Sam offered with a broad smile.

"Sure, but I won't be able to make coffee or meet the diplomats. I hope you can manage alone." Steve stated, looking slightly regretful. "I'm traveling to London with Peggy tomorrow."

"Don't worry, I can handle them and if I can't, I'll call Peter. The kid always wants to help me, although he's a bit jumpy sometimes." He laughed. "Have a merry Christmas with your wife and don't come back sooner!"

"Thank you! Good luck!" Steve said and left. He was relieved to see everything was all right. He went home to pack his luggage and wrap the gifts in shiny paper for Peggy's family.

 

***

 

Bucky was still nervous about their argument with his sister. It's been two days, but he couldn't stop avoiding her. He knew that he was wrong, he realised even without talking it over with Emily and Steve. He was scared of losing Nat. 

He had to apologize before going to England, because he didn't want to leave a conflict. He knew what he'd say and imagined Nat's different reactions in every way. Some of them weren't so reassuring. Bucky was sure that Nat would insist on him apologizing to Clint. That was the worse part.

Bucky was stubborn, he had to admit. It was in every Barnes' personality. Saying sorry to Clint was going to be interesting...

He gained all his courage to finally meet Nat in the back garden where the argument happened. Nat was at Eben's stall, brushing the horse's mane. Luckily, Clint wasn't with her this time.

At first Nat acted like she didn't notice her brother, slightly turning to the horse. She crooned a song Bucky recognised. Their mother often sung that song when they were children. However it seemed different now, Nat sung it slower, making it a bit cheerless.

Childhood memories came to Bucky, realising even more how much family meant to him. When he was alone in the dark he sung the song, seeking for hope. After 12 years of trying to escape and getting back his life, he knew he couldn't lose any of his loved ones again.

"The most important thing is your happiness. If you're happy with him, I don't have the right to change that. I only want him to protect and love you, you have to know that." Bucky said.

For a few seconds Natasha didn't say anything. Bucky was scared of her rejection, but then she stepped closer and hugged him. It was a bit surprising for him. When they let go, Nat smiled at him with tears in her eyes.

"I know," She said, looking into her brother's eyes. "I forgive you. But don't you think that you should also apologize to Clint?" She asked, sounding more serious than before.

Bucky froze for a second, his eyes looked for the blond Indian but he didn't find him anywhere. Nat started chuckling, placed her hand on her mouth, then burst out laughing.

"What is so funny?" He asked confused. Nat couldn't hold back her laughter for minutes.

"You shoud have seen your face," she managed to say "By the way he's not here."

They both started laughing, though Bucky didn't enjoy the prank as much as his sister.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a bit late but I finally wrote it. I hope you like it. :)

Bucky had the chance to apologize to Clint before traveling. It was easier than he ever thought. Clint was a kind guy, he even offered his friendship to Bucky after they talked, and he accepted it.

Bucky slept well, even though he was nervous about the travel. He's never left the state before, not even America, it was a huge step for him. He was glad that Emily, Steve and Peggy'd be with him the whole trip.

In the early morning, he said goodbye to Nat and his parents, gathered his bags and met Emily at her house. A car was waiting for them to take them to the train station.  
The driver packed the bags into the trunk, while they got in the car.

"How are you feeling?" Emily asked, taking his hand with hers.

"A bit excited, but happy to be with you." He kissed her cheek.

"I'm sure you'll like London." She stated with a wide smile on her face. "It's beautiful but the people are a bit different."

 

Steve and Peggy were sitting on a bench at the station when the car parked. They stood up and happily greeted them. The train was already on its platform and ready to go, so they got on and chose a cabin big enough for them and their bags.

"This reminds me of when we visited aunt Cassandra in Alabama. Steve was so excited that he couldn't stop looking out the window, because it was his first time traveling by train. We played a game where we counted all the horses we saw on the way," Bucky said "and I won." He grinned at Steve.

"Only because you cheated!" Steve remarked, lightly kicking Bucky's leg.

"At least you can admit that I hardly ever did that."

"You always looked at my and Nat's cards when we played Go fish."

"It was 'cause you held your cards wrong." Bucky stated.

"Poor Steve." Peggy said. 

"So this is why you win in Rummy all the time?" Emily asked jokingly. She knew it wasn't the main reason for Bucky's wins. It could be pure luck.

"I'd never even dare to try." He said on a different tone.

"Fine, I believe you." She kissed his cheek.

 

***

 

The train was quite good, it made a relaxing beat as it passed on the tracks. It was like a heart beating, only louder than usual.

The large ship was different, Bucky felt nausea the first minute he got on the deck. He's never seen a ship as big as this one before.

He walked to the balcony where Emily was standing, admiring the water.

"Is this safe?" He asked her. He didn't want to talk about his fear of water and his seasickness, she would notice it anyways.

"Of course. You seem slightly pale. Are you okay?" She was looking into his eyes, worried.

Bucky grabbed the handrail, little faster and harder than intended. He almost fell, but managed to pull himself up. "I'm fine, really." He mumbled. It didn't convince Emily.

"You are seasick. It's not a pleasant thing but I know how to soothe it." She put her hand on Bucky's shoulder, helping him back to their cabin. "You should drink more water."

"Not to argue, but there's already too much water here." He gestured towards the endless ocean. Emily chuckled.

"You're right, then I'll bring you a cup of tea." She offered. "How do you like it? With sugar or honey?"

"With a little bit of sugar, thanks. I'm gonna rest for a few hours and try not to throw up. Just knock on the door if you need me." He kissed her cheek.

Emily brought him tea, it was a different taste than what he was used to. She told him she put ginger into it, because it helped soothing nausea. He drank it and laid down on the left side of the ridiculously comfortable double bed. He thought it was unnecessarily big for even two people. The whole room was too big and fancy. All the decorations, curtains and painting were nice, but he was sure that even Mr. Stark had less in his own house.

He didn't see Steve and Peggy's room, it was on a lower level of the ship. They couldn't allow themselves a luxury like the upper suites.

He started thinking and the more he looked at all the objects surrounding him, the smaller he felt. He was only a carpenter and not a lawyer or a doctor. He didn't have fancy cars or a palace to live in. He wasn't even rich.

His head was full of doubts about himself, he was afraid of not making a good impression to Emily's family. Their relationship with Emily seemed like a dream to him, and dreams like those are always followed by the cold realization of truth. Of having nothing.

He turned on the bed to face the wall instead of the rest of the suite, when someone knocked on the door. He quickly put aside his thoughts and said "Come in!"

Steve's blond head peeked in. "Hey Bucky, I heard you were not feeling well, so I thought I'd visit you." He looked around the suite with amazement. "This place is extra!" He said, still looking at the paintings and decorations.

"Yeah, that's what bothers me. This is too much and it scares me." He admitted to his friend. "What if Emily's family thinks I'm not good enough for her?"

"Emily loves you so much and that is what really matters. Your fears can't change that, you don't have to worry about other things." Steve said.

Bucky was happy again, because Steve always supported and helped him. He was the best friend he could wish for.  
They talked a bit, and then went to the night party with their girlfriends.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted new chapters, but now here it is. I hope you like it. :)

London was even more lively and beautiful than Bucky imagined. The city was full of cars and people. Seemingly, everyone was in a hurry, they went to work and lived their lives. The weather wasn't nice, but Emily told him clouds and rain were usual.

As soon as they set foot on land he became anxious again. Emily had told him there was nothing to worry about, but he still had some concerns about making a good first impression.

Bucky and Emily said goodbye to Steve and Peggy and went to the parking lot, where a man was holding a paper with 'Swans' written to it. He was sent by Emily's mother to pick them up and take them to the Swans house. A big and expensive car was behind the driver.

"Good afternoon Miss Swans!" The driver said "I hope your trip was safe and convenient."

"Good afternoon. It was indeed." She answered. Her accent was a bit different than how she usually spoke, sounding more British.

"I'll bring your luggages and pack them into the car." He said, going back in the way of the ship.

They climbed into the car, sinking into the too big and soft seats. Emily reached for Bucky's hand and held it to her cheek. Bucky looked into her eyes, finding encouragement.

"Let's do this!" He said bravely. Only if she knew how much she helped him change into a better person.

 

***

 

The many storey buildings started disappearing as they traveled further to the countryside. Green fields and trees surrounded the road and some bigger houses appeared with huge gardens. Some of them had their own ponds.

They slowed down and turned into a smaller street. The gate was already open at the end of the street. The driver parked in the huge open space. There were two other cars next to them. 

A huge luxury house with more than three storeys and several balconies stood in front of Bucky as he got out of the car. He didn't have time to study it, because a tall, broad shouldered man was standing in the front door and waving enthusiastically. Emily ran to him and he lifted her up and hugged her tightly.

Bucky walked to them thinking the man must have been Emily's brother, although he didn't really look like her.

"Greetings friends!" The man said after putting Emily back on her feet. He was smiling like a kid on Christmas morning. He was wearing a red flannel shirt with jeans, and had shoulder length blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. He kind of reminded Bucky of a Golden Retriever puppy, only a lot bigger.

Bucky held out his hand for a shake and the blond accepted it. His hold was a little bit too strong, though he was grinning.

"You must be Emily's boyfriend. I'm Thor Odinson, nice to meet you." He said, still shaking Bucky's hand.

"Oh, I thought you were her brother. By the way my name is James Barnes, it's nice to meet you, too."

"No, unfortunately he's not, I'd be happy if he was." Emily stated, making Thor laugh. 

"Now get inside." Thor said and stood further from the door to let them inside.

Bucky looked around with amusement. The big hall had many windows where the light could shine in, and light the whole storey. Paintings and smaller sculptures were on the walls, making the house look like a museum. He thought, Steve'd have liked it and hoped to meet him and Peggy soon.

There was a staircase in the back that led to the second floor. They walked up and got to a long corridor with many doors.

Thor quickly ran forward and disappeared into one of the rooms. "Loki, look who's here! It's Emmy!" They heard. "She doesn't like that nickname, don't call her that!" A different male voice said with less enthusiasm.

A few seconds later he came back, another man following him. He was the same height as Thor, only slender. He was wearing an all black suit, looking very professional and also elegant. His black hair was slicked back and he had emerald green eyes.

"Is he your brother?" Bucky whispered to Emily. "Your eyes kind of look similar."

"No, he's also not, but the next one will be if he's even here, which I hope not." Se stated.

Thor stepped to the black haired man and pulled him closer, who was clearly annoyed by that act. However, he let Emily hug him for a moment, then stepped back. Bucky was sure he saw a slight smile on his face, before it disappeared.

"Hello! I'm Loki Odinson." He introduced himself to Bucky.

"My name is James Barnes." Bucky said, looking over Loki. "How is that possible, that you two are siblings?" He couldn't hold back the question, he was too curious. Thor and Loki looked completely different from each other, their last name was the only thing they shared.

"That is a question I think about every day." Loki said sarcastically then looked at his brother, who was chuckling. He rolled his eyes.

"In fact he's happy to be my little brother. He just likes to be mean." Thor put his hand on Loki's shoulder and tugged him a bit. They all laughed except Loki. He still looked annoyed.

"Wait 'till you see their sister, she looks like she could be Loki's identical twin. Only fifteen years older." Emily told Bucky.

"I heard that. It isn't true at all." Loki protested, a slight smile showing on his face again.

 

Bucky felt calm and relaxed again, he liked Emily's friends.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took so long, but I promise itt will get more exciting from this chapter. Also, Loki is a real badass. ;)

Emily had a certain, bitter feeling about funerals. They were always so similar: saying nice things about the person, whose funeral it was, praying for them and listening to other people's condolence offerings.

Although, this one was different. Bucky had been standing next to her in his newly tailored suit, that fit him perfectly. He helped her with his presence and encouraging smiles.

After the ceremony ended, Loki walked to her. He was elegant and charming, but the first thing Emily noticed was a bruise on his left cheekbone, right under his eye. It was purple, meaning he got it not so long ago.

"We need to talk," He quickly said, as he was close enough to her. "Only the two of us."

Bucky was standing next to Emily. She glanced at him, who nodded with a small smile, indicating that it was all right.

"Fine," They walked to the corner of the hall. There weren't any others there and it was a quiet place to talk. "What happened to your face?" The girl asked, feeling worried and afraid of what he was about to say. It seemed like bad news.

"Oh, it's nothing," He touched the bruise with his hand. It must have hurt, Emily thought. "I have to tell you something about your brother." Loki said seriously. Emily gave him a wide eyed look. Robert has been really suspicious recently, she noticed it herself, too.

"I have been watching him for a few months, to supervise the company, and I found some interesting files. He's been dealing with the wrong people. Of course, for money." He stopped, looking into Emily's eyes.

"What do you mean by wrong people?" She asked.

"Alexander Pierce, one of the most infamous criminals in America, but now he's hiding in London, he wants to get his son out of prison." He replied, looking around cautiously. He didn't want other people hear the conversation, it was important to keep it secret.

Emily felt like she was going to pass out. "Are you sure?" Her voice was quiet like a whisper from the shock. Loki nodded.

"I wasn't, until yesterday. I followed Robert to an alley, where he just disappeared, so I had to find where he went, and that's when I saw Pierce. Your brother was talking to him about a deal. I couldn't hear everything, because someone noticed that I was there and they wanted to catch me."

Emily became more worried and started picking at her bracelet. "Why do you risk your own life, only to find out things like this? Why didn't you just tell the police or something?" This time she spoke louder to make a point to Loki, although she knew how stubborn he was.

"This is not that easy, we don't know who we can trust and it's better if I do it myself." He whispered in her ear.

"You're so reckless. Is that how you got hurt?" Emily gestured towards his face.

"Yes. A goon tried to hit me with a stick, but I kicked him in the face. I fell to the ground and a second guy punched me. That one was a tough bastard and took too long to get rid of him." Loki chuckled. Emily didn't find that so funny, instead she wanted Loki not to do stupid things. It was a bit like their childhood again, tellig Loki not to climb the tree in the Swans garden, but he did it anyway and ended up with a broken wrist from falling off.

"Do you think my father knew about Robert's deal with Pierce?" Emily asked. The whole situation was so suspicious to her. Her father was a strong man and his sudden death shocked everyone. He didn't have any illnesses and the next day his heart gave up.

"Definitely not. Your father was a good man, he wouldn't have done it, not even for money or whatever Pierce has to offer." Loki stated. Emily believed him, her father and his were partners for decades and Loki knew him well.

"I won't let you do this alone! I know one person you can trust. My boyfriend. He has a complicated history with the Pierce family and I'm sure he'll help you. Plus, what about Thor?" Emily offered. Loki raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"All right, though I don't think my brother is suitable for spying. He's too immature." he laughed. Emily smiled with relief, that Loki finally accepted her help. "But you have to be very careful. You're the inheritor of half of the company and we all know how much your brother desires to have it."

"I know, but don't worry about me! I can defend myself. I managed to live alone for more than five years." She insisted. Loki rolled his eyes. The two of them were the most stubborn people and that's why they got along so well.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)

The following days passed slowly. Emily's mother wasn't quite fond of Bucky, she politely tried to express, that her daughter was meant to be wed to someone noble, not a carpenter's son. She wasn't rude, although she had a strong opinion. Once she indicated, that she'd be glad if Loki married Emily and the two families would get bound together. It was certainly embarrassing for everyone, especially Emily and Loki, because they grew up together as good friends, but they never felt love towards each other.

Emily told Bucky about Loki spying on her brother and he agreed to work with Loki, even if it meant telling everything about his former bandit life in Pierce's gang. The information could help stopping Robert. He was surprised that Loki didn't judge him or looked down on him after hearing about his dark past.

They were talking in the big living room of the Odinson house.

"I heard that they would meet this evening, so we have to go there." Loki informed him about the plan. 

"The last time you spied on them, they wanted to kill you. I think they'll try to do the same." Bucky said reluctantly. He didn't like being beaten up, in fact who did?

"Yes, but I'm still here, meaning they did not succeed." He stated a bit annoyed. "And my brother is coming with us."

Said brother was sitting on the floor, playing with his nephews. He usually looked after Hela's kids when she had to work. She had two sons and a daughter, all of them taking after their mother with their raven black hair and emerald green eyes. It was funny, when Thor, Loki, Hela and her children were together, because Thor looked like a total stranger compared to them.

The two boys and Thor had built a tiny castle from building blocks and put tin soldiers around it to defend it from a teddy bear. Thor enjoyed the game the most, because he laughed and sometimes made sound effects when the bear tried to attack the castle. He was so childish, it annoyed Loki.

"Thor, can you come here and be an adult for a minute?" Loki asked, rolling his eyes. Standing up, Thor put down the teddy bear and walked to his less immature younger brother.

"What is it?" The blond asked. He glanced back to the castle, that his nephews were rebuilding to make it more bear-proof.

"I hate to say this, but we need your help. It's nothing serious, though you have to keep it secret. We'll meet at Water Street and go to see what Emily's brother is up to." Loki said earnestly.

"You mean, we are spying on Robert?" Thor asked, before his eyes turned to his nephews. The younger one suddenly started crying. "Fenrir, don't take that toy from your little brother, give it back to him!" He said calmly. He was perfect babysitter material, Loki had to admit.

 

They decided that Bucky would stay in the car and wait for them. Thor and Loki were on the roof, Loki leaning to a window and listening the conversation between Alexander and Robert.

All of a sudden, a woman appeared on the roof. Thor noticed her in time to warn his brother they weren't alone.

"Loki." He said quietly, but he didn't react. "Loki!" He said again, this time louder.

"Would you please shut up Thor, I'm quite busy at the moment. It can't be as important anyways." He talked him off.

"Loki!" Thor said once more, fear in his voice. Loki looked up and saw the woman holding a gun to his brother's head. He realised it was more important than he thought. He quickly took his knife in his hand and held it in the direction of the lady.

"Let him go!" He demanded.

"Not before you tell me who you are and who you work for." She said with a smug grin on her face. Her confidence made Loki scared.

"I can clearly see, this is a huge misunderstanding." Thor siad, trying to push away the gun from his head. The woman held it firmly.

"If you two go somewhere else and not disturb me, I won't shoot you. This is your last chance."

Loki was so tired of the woman, he felt the urge to finally use his knife. Thor was also tired of being held captive, so he used his broad shoulder to break free. The woman crashed into the nearest wall, dropping her gun. That was a huge mistake, because Loki quickly snatched the gun and put it in his suit pocket.

It didn't take long for her to recover. She also had a dagger like Loki's. Gripping it in her hand, she ran full force into Loki. They skillfully attacked each other, evading from the blades. After five minutes of fighting and not even having cut, the woman dropped her knife on the ground. Loki put back his in his boots.

"You're good, I have to admit." She said, seemingly exhausted from the fight. "Now I want to know even more who you are."

"Thanks! You're also well skilled in combat." He smiled charmingly. "I'm a businessman."

Thor felt like they have forgotten about him. "Yeah, and he has a strange obsession with weapons." He remarked. "I grew up with him."

"Interesting, I thought you were some kind of agents or detectives. It's your lucky day." She smirked.


End file.
